Old Cotton Fingers Was No Soft Touch

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday January 10, 2008

Max Presnell

Longevity and a magic touch made George Moore the greatest, writes Max Presnell.

HOW can the Magic of Moore be defined? Obviously his sleight of hand came from "cotton fingers".

Foaled on July 5, 1923, George Moore, who died two days ago after a long illness, rightfully carried the tag "champion jockey".

Longevity combined with skill at the highest level is a major attribute and Moore retired after notching his 2278th winner, in the 1971 Victoria Derby. At that stage he couldn't raise the whip above shoulder height because of injury, but his most vital attribute, his hands, still had their touch.

Moore had a brilliant mind that triggered lightning reflexes to send the message on to reins that, in turn, transmitted the message to racehorses: go faster, ease, accelerate, come back, drop the bit. Few, if any, had greater control over a mount and this coupled with mental strength made him the supreme competitor.

Comparing the best from different eras is a matter of opinion but Moore raced through decades of greats, not only in Australia, but Great Britain, Europe and the US. For instance, on the local front he matched it with the likes Darby Munro, Jack Thompson, Billy Cook, Neville Sellwood, Athol Mulley, Kevin Langby, Des Lake and later Ron Quinton.

In 1969 Moore was responsible for one of the finest Australian winning streaks. At the Randwick Easter carnival, he won 15 of the 29 races. It started with the last two successes on Doncaster day followed by the first four on Sydney Cup day for six in a row.

The overall record of Moore is even more impressive considering he was outed for 2 1/2 years in 1956 over the Flying East case. He signed the Stud Book return as owner of the mare, which was actually owned by his wife Iris's father. Alas the plot thickened when Flying East scored at Hawkesbury. Moore, who was handling another horse in the race, was accused of backing Flying East. During the spell he spent his time at Hughenden in North Queensland.

Returning to the saddle in 1957, Moore built up a remarkable record of 3403 rides in Sydney for 1040 wins, 620 seconds and 447 thirds. But he was hardly a home-town champion as he was just as potent overseas.

During the 1960s and earlier, Australians were the flavour of the time in Europe but not the US. Again the cotton fingers of Moore transferred effectively. On an invitation from Johnny Logden in 1950, Moore won 11 races from 70 US rides, including the $25,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on Monyunk.

The Melbourne Cup was one of the few races which eluded Moore but he landed an English Derby and a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. In France in 1958 he again produced outstanding figures with 21 winners in a month at Deauville.

If anything Moore's sense of purpose was heightened when he was "wasting". The process sapped the energy of many riders but Moore, although looking like a prisoner of war, never seemed to lose the touch. Temper, yes.

At one stage he was having more bouts than Dave Sands. When it came to Tommy Smith it was verbal, but Mulley became a regular sparring partner. Like the time he returned from overseas to find Mulley occupying his locker, leading to a confrontation. Moore told stewards Mulley "queried my breeding" upon which the cotton fingers were replaced with flying knuckles and Moore scored with a right cross. Both were fined $200 for unseemly conduct.

Moore and Smith went back to the days when they were young strappers and the jockey figured Smith was "soft in the head" according to Australian Horse Racing, by Jack Pollard. Ironically they teamed up only when Moore's mother accepted the ride for him on Bragger, the horse which kicked off Smith's career. Bragger got home at 33-1.

Bob Rowles, in charge of the Sydney jockeys' rooms since 1946, saw another side of Moore. "He made me laugh," Rowles said yesterday. What about the fisticuffs and bad language? "That was only letting off steam, five or 10 minutes. Blown out of proportion. The jockeys' room hasn't been the same since he left and there has never been a jockey as good and I can't see one ever getting there."

HIGHLIGHTS

First winner: January 1, 1940, Overdraft at Eagle Farm.

Career winners: 2278 (312 metropolitan stakes winners).

Group 1s: 119 (Aust record).

Sydney premierships: 10 (first jockey to ride 100 winners in a season twice).

Best season: 1964 -65 (112).

Hong Kong leading trainer: 11 seasons out of 13.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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